About Orbicella faveolata (Ellis & Solander, 1786)
Colonies of Orbicella faveolata are solid, very large corals that form mounds with a skirt. Their surface is smooth and undulating, with small lumps, bulges, or lobes. Corallites—the stony cups that hold the coral polyps—are about 5 mm (0.2 in) in diameter and cover the entire surface of the coral. The species is most often pale brown, yellowish green, or grey, but may also be deep brown, with fluorescent green highlights. Orbicella faveolata is part of a species complex that includes the closely related Orbicella annularis and Orbicella franksi. O. annularis has more distinct nodules or small columns, while O. franksi has a more irregular, lumpy surface. Orbicella faveolata is found in shallow waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Its confirmed range includes Florida (United States), the Bahamas, and Venezuela, and it may also occur in Bermuda. It grows on both the back reef and fore reef slopes of fringing reefs, at depths of up to 40 m (131 ft). It is often the most abundant coral species on fore reef slopes between 10 and 20 m (33 and 66 ft).
